ETIAS Visa – European Travel Information and Authorization System

If you are planning on traveling to Europe, you may or may not need a visa to be able to enter any of the 27 Schengen countries. This depends on your nationality.

If you are a citizen of any of the following countries, you do not need a visa to enter the Schengen Area. If you are not a citizen of these countries, you will need a visa and you will continue to be required to have a valid visa to enter Europe. 

ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorisation System and visitors, traveling to the Schengen Area who would not ordinarily need a visa, may apply for this electronic travel authorisation.

This travel authorisation will need to be applied for prior to the date of travel, so it will be useful for immigration authorities for monitoring potential security risks of travelers before they enter the Schengen Area. 

According to the European Commission, ETIAS will be “for the identification of security, irregular migration or high epidemic risks posed by visa-exempt visitors.”

ETIAS can be used for entry into all 27 of the Schengen countries as well as Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania.

Who can apply for ETIAS?

Since 2023, citizens of the following countries may be eligible to apply for ETIAS authorization:

Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Macau, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, Timor Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela

For these citizens, they will not have to go through the process of applying for a Schengen visa. They can apply for the travel authorization online instead. 

How ETIAS will work

ETIAS is due to start in May 2025 and once implemented it will be compulsory for all visa-exempt travelers to the Schengen Area to hold travel authorization.  

Application process

You must apply for an ETIAS at least 3 days prior to your intended travel date to Europe and it must be done online. Applications are usually processed within minutes, but some applications may take longer if you are asked to provide more information or documents. If this is the case, you will have a decision within 30 days. 

Please note, until the implementation date of May 2025, no applications are being accepted and you will still follow the visa regulations currently in place. 

Completing the application form

When you complete the ETIAS application form, you will need to provide:

1. Name, surname, date and place of birth
2. Nationality
3. Address
4. Parent’s first names
5. Email address & phone number
6. Passport details
7. Education
8. Employment status
9. Travel details included country or countries you intend to visit
10. Criminal convictions and/or whether you have been deported from any country
11. Past travels to war / conflict zones

You will also need your passport and payment card to hand. 

Not all travel documents are accepted for ETIAS and you can find out any restrictions on the official website. 

The European Union advises that you obtain the ETIAS travel authorization before you buy your tickets and pay for hotels.

Visa Reservation can help with this. If you need to obtain your flight reservation without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow these 3 simple steps:

1. Visit VisaReservation.com website and choose the right package
2. Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive the flight itinerary by email

ETIAS Fee

After you have finished completing the application, you will pay the €7 fee. If you are under 18 or over 70, the fee is waived.

After submitting your ETIAS travel authorization application

Once you have completed your application and paid the fee, you will receive an email with a unique ETIAS reference number which you need to keep.

Then, you will receive another email which will let you know whether your application has been accepted or rejected.

If accepted, check all the details are correct. If not, you will not be permitted to gain entry to the country you are traveling to. If rejected, the email will let you know why and will have information about how you can appeal the decision. 

Validity period of your ETIAS

Your ETIAS travel authorization is valid for 3 years and will allow you to stay in the Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days within a 180 day period. 

On arrival at the border

When you arrive in your chosen destination, you must have the passport that you used when making your ETIAS application. If you do not, you will not be allowed entry into the country. 

ETIAS Checklist

Apply for an ETIAS travel authorization at least 3 days before travel

1. Make sure your passport is valid and is the same one used when making your application for ETIAS
2. Check to see if your ETIAS travel authorization is still valid before you arrive at the border
3. Make sure your passport is valid for 3 months after your trip to Europe ends and was issued within the last 10 years.

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